Agents play a "big role" in Congressional legislation

Insurance agents play a “big role” in making sure Congressional legislation comes out the way it does, two members of the House told the National Association of Health Underwriters Capitol Conference Tuesday.

“You have to pay attention to what’s going on around you … it is incumbent on you all to show up,” said Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), adding that for insurance agents PPACA represents a “double dose” as it affects agents as small businessmen and woman and as families.

Agents contacting their member of Congress helped lead the way to HR 1206, which would provide state insurance regulators more freedom when it comes to the medical loss ratio implementation.

“Thanks to so many of your efforts, Congress and the U.S. is now confronting the issue of MLRs and we have a bipartisan bill going through Congress,” said Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.). “I think [the bill has] over 150 co-sponsors which is pretty dramatic and I think a great signal for the fact that we can get this done and get this provision modified to” where it doesn’t devastate the folks there to help consumers navigate health insurance.

In July, NAHU praised the June 30 decision of a National Association of Insurance Commissioners broker task force to endorse the bill. “This unprecedented action by the NAIC shows the commitment of our nation’s insurance commissioners to protecting consumer and employer access to professional health insurance agents and brokers,” NAHU Chief Executive Janet Trautwein said at the time.